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Sunday, June 15, 2014

Thoughts on my Solo Almost Century

I sometimes forget I'm training for a Ironman and have less than three months until I try to tackle 140.6 miles in Wisconsin. Maybe it's a selective memory? Or self preservation? Either way, I already feel behind on training and the fact that a moving company is taking Suzie Slice away from me in three days is weighing heavily on my mind.

So this morning, I woke up at the ungodly hour of 4:30 a.m. and set out for my own personal century ride. I had no plan, just to get on my bike and do what I could. Some parts were easy, some parts were terrible, but I did log 92 miles before lunch and barely have any scars from the experience.

Here are some thoughts from more than five hours by my lonesome:

I really like the Moxie jersey I got at the Esprit de She triathlon. It's quite flattering, it didn't ride up and the pockets were accommodating.

Wind is the worst thing ever. At mile 42, if I had someone to call, I would have, the wind was that bad.

Reese's Pieces are the best treat ever. Turned my day around, no doubt. I was sitting on a curb, contemplating how I would get home through the mind-numbing wind when I wandered into a 7-11. I bought the treat and it made all the difference.

Salt is ah-mazing. I can't even express how much I love salt after a hard workout.

Thank goodness for the gas station attendants who chose to ignore the $5 minimum credit card charge because it's impossible to carry all the water you need for a 5+ hour workout, but I can't carry $5 of water.

Ditto on food. I ate: a banana, a nut bar, a fiber bar, a gu, a king-sized bag of Reese's pieces and a bottle of powerade zero. Then devoured a giant lunch and two vats of Diet Pepsi in the process. Still hungry ...